Staff Lists 2023
The Crack Magazine team rewind and reflect on the year gone by. Unravelling a tapestry of moments and memories from 2023, we delve into the releases that struck a chord, the memes that made us smile, and everything in between.
Rachel Grace Almeida
Deputy Editor
Top 10 albums/EPs:
1. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
2. Holy Tongue – Deliverance and Spiritual Warfare
3. a.s.o. – a.s.o.
4. Vayda – Breeze
5. Liturgy – 93696
6. Florentino – Kilómetro Quinze
7. ML Buch – Suntub
8. Anohni and the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross
9. Water From Your Eyes – Everyone’s Crushed
10. Laura Groves – Radio Red
A musical moment from this year:
Verraco’s life-affirming set at the Reef afters in Berlin this summer, where he went from Skepta to Escándaloo to Lemon8’s Model8 to Bad Bunny. El baby estaba desquiciado. Those who know, know.
My favourite artist discovery:
Chuquimamani-Condori.
The items that held me down:
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin, Garnier BB cream, magnesium glycinate, LGM crispy chilli oil, The Going to Bed Book.
2023 in a track – and why?
Scorpio by James K and Hoodie because it’s beautiful, quietly hopeful, overwhelming and utterly tragic – much like this year.
Tweet of the year:
What if they had Lexapro when Sylvia Plath was alive. Now she’d be in a Celine campaign. Let that sink in
— C*ntbot, PhD (@pacino_girl) August 25, 2023
Jasmine Kent-Smith
Digital Editor
Top 10 tracks:
1. Caroline Polachek – Sunset
2. Bad Bunny – WHERE SHE GOES
3. Dinamarca, AMORE – favorita
4. CASISDEAD, Desire – Actin’ Up
5. Sega Bodega, Safety Trance – Arena!
6. Drake – Rich Baby Daddy ft. Sexxy Red and SZA
7. Sicaria – (Not So) Serious Ting
8. Tujiko Noriko – A Meeting at a Space Station
9. Ice Spice – Actin A Smoochie
10. Pangaea – Installation
(Bonus, for nostalgia’s sake)
11. Evian Christ – Silence
My favourite artist discoveries:
Nourished by Time, a.s.o., Aunty Rayzor, DJ Spit, Lifesize Teddy…
The items that held me down:
Supplements (shoutout magnesium), BIAB and an Ibiza club classics spin class. Nothing like a healthy mix of trance, hard house and strobes to get your brain firing at 9am on a Saturday morning (shoutout Pete).
2023 in a track – and why?
araabMUZIK – Let It Go. Words to live by. This year, and always.
Jessica Eli Hill
Social Media Creator
Top 10 albums/EPs:
1. ML Buch – Suntub
2. Moin – Clocked Off
3. Arovane – Sinter
4. John Glacier, SURF GANG – JGSG
5. Petra Hermanova – In Death’s Eyes
6. Voice Actor – Fake Sleep
7. Ciel – Homesick
8. Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music
9. Potter Payper – Real Back in Style
10. Toma Kami – Speedy Oddity Vol. II
A musical moment from this year:
At Romford United Social Club, a good friend and I went to see her father performing a Neil Diamond tribute act as a part of his Essex tour.
My favourite artist discovery:
She Diamond.
The items that held me down:
AirDrop keyring, my Nikon F3 and the Olive Extra Virgin CD in my car.
2023 in a track – and why?
The Marie Davidson remix of Moderat’s FAST LAND. It’s a bop! I’m a sucker for sounds of Euro club strobes, let alone in the middle 8 of some pensive electro. I’ve embodied this track in 2023. (Bonus mention: Sexxy Red’s Pound Town. Motivational.)
TikTok of the year:
@dudsmitra Didn’t think attending a religious gathering would include a set by a DJ priest #wyd #lisboa ♬ original sound – Duds Isaac Mitra
Maya Ellwood
Content and Social Media Assistant
The items that held me down:
My housemate’s air-fryer, triple melon Lost Marys, fake Good Squish scrunchie and Aldi’s emmental and asparagus parcels.
2023 in a track – and why?
Overmono – Good Lies. Just because.
Tweet of the year:
shout out my gays in the writers room! https://t.co/ghOer7fI9K
— Charli (@charli_xcx) September 5, 2023
Cheyenne Macrides
Content and Social Media Assistant
Top 10 tracks:
1. Marina Satti – TUCUTUM
2. Dua Lipa – Houdini
3. Eleni Foureira – Oh Mami ft. MC Daddy
4. Olivia Dean – Dive
5. Kenya Grace – Strangers
6. Tate McRae – Greedy
7. Miley Cyrus – Flowers
8. Anne Marie – UNHEALTHY ft. Shania Twain
9. Swank Mami – I Saw U
10. Olivia Rodrigo – bad idea right?
My favourite artist discovery:
Swank Mami.
Sophie Lou Wilson
Social Media Editor
Top 10 albums:
1. Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy
2. Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
3. Lauren Auder – The Infinite Spine
4. Headache – The Head Hurts but the Heart Knows The Truth
5. Boygenius – The Record
6. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
7. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
8. Youth Lagoon – Heaven Is a Junkyard
9. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS
10. Keaton Henson – House Party
A musical moment from this year:
Watching Rick Astley and Blossoms’ surprise Smiths set at Glasto – an unexpected moment of nostalgic joy.
My favourite artist discovery:
Lauren Auder.
The items that held me down:
CBD drinks, hair masks, my Tabi boots, digi cam and phone (duh).
2023 in a track – and why?
Florist – Time Is A Dark Feeling. Because we all started grappling with the pandemic skip and the horror of passing time. Also Sinead O’Connor’s Mandinka, a timeless track from an icon. RIP.
Tweet of the year:
oh wow you had an affair with an older man? he was your english professor?? he was married? with a CHILD??? AND you’re bulimic?? AND bisexual??
— audrey longhorne (@credenzaclear2) July 10, 2023
Benjamin Brook
Head of Video Production
Top 10 albums:
1. Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here
2. Kelvin Krash – HARSH
3. Evian Christ – Revanchist
4. Jim Legxacy – Homeless N*gga Pop Music
5. Tirzah – trip9love…???
6. 2hollis – 2
7. Yves Tumor – Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
8. Jadu Heart – Derealised
9. Teezo Touchdown – How Do You Sleep at Night?
10. Polygonia – Otro Mundo
(Special shouts to Boygenius, Kojaque, Eartheater, Paris Texas, Avalon Emerson, Jeshi, Earl Sweatshirt.)
A musical moment from this year:
The obscene bass in the pit of Aphex Twin’s Forwards Festival performance.
My favourite artist discovery:
Jim Legxacy.
2023 in a track – and why?
Kelvin Krash’s £100, Sam Austins & Billy Lemos’ Pretend Friend and Jean Dawson’s No Scope. For absolutely no reason at all.
IG post of the year:
View this post on Instagram
Tom Rutterford
Advertising Manager
Top 10 tracks:
1. Headache – That Thing With The Rabbit
2. Jim Legxacy – Block Hug
3. Airhead – Salt
4. TYSON, rRoxymore – Above The Light
5. J Hus – Come Look
6. ML Buch – Somewhere
7. Jessy Lanza – Midnight Ontario
8. Bandokay – Who I Am
9. Tirzah – Promises
10. King Krule – Seaforth
The items that held me down:
“Can we get a lil portion of chips for the table please…”
The sucuk, halloumi, egg and tomato panini from Cafe N15. There are those who doubt it, but I’m standing by it ’til the end.
A musical moment from this year:
Lana Del Rey performing Young and Beautiful at Glastonbury.
Luke Sutton
Commercial Director
Top 10 albums:
1. Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
2. Asake – Work of Art
3. Boygenius – The Record
4. Troye Sivan – Something to Give Each Other
5. CMAT – Crazymad, for Me
6. Cherry Glazerr – I Don’t Want You Anymore
7. Squirrel Flower – Tomorrow’s Fire
8. Blondshell – Blondshell
9. Anohni – My Back Was a Bridge For You To Cross
10. Mandy, Indiana – I’ve Seen a Way
A musical moment from this year:
Every minute of Boygenius at Gunnersbury Park.
My favourite artist discovery:
SoFTT.
The items that held me down:
Wasabi’s spicy Korean chicken pops.
TikTok of the year:
@donatodecaprio3dedicato ai miei amici che dicono che lancio le cose 😂🫶🏼♬ suono originale – Donato – Con mollica o senza
Oscar Henson
Head of Advertising and Partnerships
Top 10 albums:
1. ML Buch – Suntub
2. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
3. Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
4. Purelink – Signs
5. Sanguine – Twice Lived
6. Avalon Emerson – & The Charm
7. Boygenius – The Record
8. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
9. Airhead – Lightness
10. a.s.o. – a.s.o.
The items that held me down:
This year I lost a phone, two wallets and a driving license (provisional) – so we’ll call it the year I gave up on worldly possessions altogether.
IG post of the year:
View this post on Instagram
Michelle Helena Janssen
Art Direction
Top 10 albums/EPs:
1. Brent Faiyaz – Larger than Life
2. Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale
3. Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
4. Kcee – Ojapiano
5. Sampha – Lahai
6. Miink – Lover’s Dance
7. Florian Fourlin – Love It All (At Arm’s Length)
8. Saya Gray – ANNIE, I SING FOR..
9. Gunna – fukumean
10. Enny – We Go Again
A musical moment from this year:
I was Cleo Sol’ing through an era when I should’ve been Brent Faiyaz’ing instead.
My favourite artist discovery:
Jessie Reyez.
The items that held me down:
The MD Paper notebook journal codex and the Ikea Home Smart app.
2023 in a track – and why?
Shigeo Sekito – The Word II. In all the madness, this on repeat.
IG post of the year:
View this post on Instagram
Chama Jemmali
Junior Advertising Executive
Top 10 tracks:
1. Lana Del Rey – Paris, Texas ft. SYML
2. Jockstrap, Taylor Skye – I Touch
3. Overmono – So U Kno
4. C. Tangana – Oliveira Dos Cen Anos
5. Pangaea – Installation
6. Yaeji – easy breezy
7. Sampha – Dancing Circles
8. Caroline Polachek – Sunset
9. Jim Legxacy – ur marges crib
10. Sorry – Screaming In The Rain Again
My favourite artist discovery:
Taqbir.
The item that held me down:
My Railcard.
Tweet of the year:
how I feel after tweeting a spotify link pic.twitter.com/XCw6KDnhj2
— paige 🐇 (@peachhpunchh) August 11, 2023
Charlotte Jackson
Product Manager
Top 10 albums/EPs:
1. Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music
2. Amaarae – Fountain Baby
3. Jim Legxacy – Homeless N*gga Pop Music
4. Corinne Bailey Rae – Black Rainbows
5. Doja Cat – Scarlet
6. Florentino – Kilómetro Quinze
7. Kassa Overall – ANIMALS
8. Eartheater – Powders
9. Kelvin Krash – HARSH
10. Samrai – Work & Roti
A musical moment from this year:
Marina Herlop’s celestial Lunchmeat performance still gives me goosebumps.
My favourite artist discovery:
Samrai. The album and his Crack Mix are so intimate, masterful and enlightening. Worth every second of listening time.
Tweet of the year:
Can we even say tweet anymore?
2023 in a track – and why
Lil Silva – Seasons. Because I was dancing to this all summer – DJs kept dropping this at festivals and it sounds just as fresh as the day it was released… 13 years ago?!
Hannah White
Marketing Coordinator
Top 10 albums:
1. ML Buch – Suntub
2. Amaarae – Fountain Baby
3. Marina Herlop – Nekkuja
4. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn To You
5. Tirzah – trip9love…???
6. Jim Legxcy – Homeless N*** Pop Music
7. JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES
8. The Lemon Twigs – Everything Harmony
9. Hotline TNT – Cartwheel
10. Murlo – Puckle
A musical moment from this year:
I somehow watched Alice in Chains’ MTV Unplugged for the first time, and it changed my life forever. I think it’s one of the most legendary and heartbreaking performances of all time – I could write an essay on it. AIC forever. <3
Favourite artist discovery:
Hemlocke Springs.
TikTok of the year:
@nickiminaj♬ iris – ☆
